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Now that the Jews are rebuilding Jerusalem in the postexilic period, they should take David’s words to Solomon as their own charge. They, too, must make their relationships with God of primary importance. He will guide them as they rebuild His temple and His nation, if they continue to follow His purpose. The Jews must not be daunted by the size of the project before them. God will use great leaders like Ezra and Nehemiah to guide them through every step of rebuilding His temple and rebuilding His nation.

29 David (to the entire assembly): Although my son Solomon was chosen by God and has the ability to build a beautiful temple, he is still young and inexperienced for such a great work. This work is not for men—it is for the Eternal God. I have tried to help him as much as I can by providing gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stones (the onyx, inlaid stones, antimony, stones of various colors, precious stones, and alabaster) in abundance to use in my God’s temple. Furthermore I will give my own gold and silver treasures (in addition to the materials I have provided for the construction) to the temple because of my delight in the house of my God. These gifts include 110 tons of the finest gold, 260 tons of refined silver (to cover the walls of the buildings), more gold and more silver as needed. All of this work will be done by the skilled workers, so who then is willing give of himself this day to the Eternal?

Then family leaders, the leaders of the tribes of Israel, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and the managers over the king’s work, offered willingly. For the service of the temple of God they gave 190 tons and 185 pounds of gold, 375 tons of silver, 675 tons of bronze, and 3,750 tons of iron. Anyone who owned precious stones gave them willingly to the treasury of the temple of the Eternal, where they were managed by Jehiel the Gershonite. Then all the people rejoiced because the officers had given to the Eternal so willingly and wholeheartedly. King David also rejoiced greatly, and

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